New NFC Controller Promises Better Device Interoperability

The NFC Forum today announced that it has published the new NFC Controller Interface (NCI) specification. According to the NFC Forum, the NCI spec is a major rewrite of the standard that will make it easier for hardware manufacturers to use NFC chips from a wider range of suppliers. The NFC Forum says the NCI specification defines a base set of functions and interoperability parameters between the components inside an NFC-capable phone. Specifically, it creates a standard interface between the NFC controller and the device's application processor. By standardizing this interface, smartphone and other device makers will have greater flexibility in designing and implementing near-field communications in their hardware. The NCI specification is free and available for download from the NFC Forum's web site.